Yeti Corner: The potential awesomeness of VR
We’ve been talking about virtual reality a lot lately on the Gaming Uncensored podcast. To be fair, almost all video game outlets (and much of other media) have been covering it extensively as well. But we’ve said time and again that we’re homers about VR.
This is the first of two articles examining the pros and cons of VR from my completely non-professional and biased perspective. I’m becoming increasingly more torn about VR as the revolution looms. This feature will look at my top five reasons to be excited about VR.
1. Immersion
This is what it’s all about, right? The reason to be excited about virtual reality, at its heart, is the level of immersion the technology can offer. You can truly feel like you are the hero! Or maybe the villain…
The idea that we can be surrounded visually (and hopefully audibly) by a virtual world is really exciting. Sure 3D already exists. But while 3D movies are kind of fun, they are really gimmicky and not something that I’ve wanted to adapt in my home. Honestly, given the choice on most films, I’ll opt for 2D.
The trick with VR immersion is not just the 3D projection right in front of your eyeballs; it’s also the head tracking. The idea that I can look around, ideally in 360 degrees, and explore a virtual setting is a game changer. The design possibilities are ridiculously exciting.
2. Novelty
New things are fun! Well, some new things. I didn’t much care for the new experience of being hit by a truck recently. My guess is that VR will at least be better than being run over by a truck.
There is something truly exciting about being a part of new technology. Virtual reality is futuristic to me, so this is the future being realized. THE FUTURE IS NOW! Except for that whole flying car thing…
The problem with novelty is that it can become gimmicky quickly. I believe that VR can overcome the gimmick problem. There is so much potential for content and early adopters are already raving about it’s potential. My hope is that it is still fun after it is no longer new.
3. Nostalgia
Yes, this may seem counter-intuitive at first (especially after the previous point was novelty), but I truly believe it’s one of the biggest reasons I’m excited about VR. I never experienced VR in my youth. But I wanted to.
I never played the VirtuaBoy, which is probably a good thing as concerns VR. But as a youth, I was inundated with the idea of virtual reality. It was part of popular culture, showing up in movies and science fiction. It was the future, and I loved the idea of the future.
So for the better part of my 30+ years of life, virtual reality has been one of those things that seemed to mark the forward march of technology, even if it’s mostly for entertainment purposes. So while my 30+-year-old self is pumped, my inner teenage self is going nuts about this.
This sets me up for a potentially huge letdown, and I’m working to come to terms with that. But no matter what, I’ll have a blast indulging my ideal of the future, even if that nostalgia doesn’t last forever.
4. Innovative Game Design
While VR opens up lots of exciting media opportunities, the thing I care about is gaming. I can’t really picture myself watching movies on VR, but playing games – now that’s where it’s at!
What has me really pumped is the potential new gameplay mechanics that can be utilized in VR. While FPS and driving games make tons of sense, I’m excited to see how game developers tackle other genres. For instance, a game like Civilization could be really cool. In combination with VR controllers like what the HTC Vive is offering in-box, it could be the coolest board game of all time!
I’m a huge fan of independent games. I like those small nuggets that push innovative approaches to what is an established medium. The indie development community lives and dies on innovation, so I imagine some of the best VR gaming experiences will come from genres or concepts that we’re not remotely considering in VR.
5. Fun
This is what it’s all about, at the end of the day. VR will live and die on the fun factor.
So what makes it fun? I honestly can’t tell you. Something is either fun or it isn’t. I don’t believe there’s an exact formula for it. I’ve played many games that have the perfect formula for fun, yet don’t capture me at all. And I’ve played other games that I assumed had no chance of keeping my fleeting attention that became some of my favorites.
Virtual reality will have to be experienced to verify its funness. Its funtivity maybe? It looks fun. In my head, it’s amazingly fun. But until I actually strap on a headset, I won’t be convinced. I’m optimistic. Cautiously optimistic…
